


Aideen's Shield

by BookwormSupreme



Category: Star Stable, Star Stable Online
Genre: (though not as much as the update itself), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Rescue Mission, Sisterhood, Some angst, Spoilers, but that flew out the window quickly, hints at relationships but not gonna tag them yet, this was meant to be a one-shot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-06 21:32:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17947466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookwormSupreme/pseuds/BookwormSupreme
Summary: An ominous vision the night before they're to rescue Anne has Ali fearing that this quest will not go as planned. Will they succeed in reuniting the Soul Rider Sisterhood? Or will darkness manage to break them even more than before?





	Aideen's Shield

**Author's Note:**

> So as great as the update was, the ending hit me really hard. So hard in fact, that I was actually motivated to write a fix-it fic and a pretty decent one at that! One that I actually plan on completely! Now, this was meant to be a one-shot, but my mind got away from me and now it looks like it will be 2-3 chapters. Probably 3. Anyway, please enjoy this and let me know what you think of it!

Ali knew it was far too early to be awake, but she also knew there was no way she’d be able to sleep after what she just saw in her dreams. Sneaking out of the tent she was sharing with Linda, Ali regretted not putting on a warmer sweater, the cool night air chilling the sweat that had accumulated all over her.

Rubbing her arms vigorously to try and warm up, Ali made her way over to where Moonshadow was standing; the only one of the Soul Steeds awake at the moment. Ali knew he would be, that he had woken up the very same moment she had, sensing her fear though not know the cause.

 _*Ali?*_ Moonshadow looked over his beloved rider with wise, dark eyes. _*What’s wrong?*_ Ali said nothing at first, simply hugging her equine friend as tight as she could.

“I had a nightmare,” she explained quietly. “Either that, or it was a vision. It just felt so… real and ominous.” Knowing how badly such visions could affect the young woman, the stallion pulled her closer with his large head.

 _*What did you see?*_ Ali could hear the hesitancy in Moon’s voice, but was grateful he asked; otherwise, she probably wouldn’t be able to talk about it. Taking a deep breath and not letting go of her Soul Steed, Ali lowered herself to kneel on the ground, Moonshadow following her. Once she was comfortable, she began.

“I saw us enter Pandoria; at least, I think it was us. I didn’t see any physical bodies, more like… lights. Anyway, nine lights entered Pandoria, but only nine returned. Not ten. Then, I saw a horse made of pure lightning fighting a giant, black bird-like creature. The horse fell, but a second one appeared, this one made of sunlight, and protected the first horse.” Ali fell silent, reluctant to continue but knowing she had to.

“There was a flash of light, then nothing but a cold, silent, darkness. I was alone. I was afraid. I felt like I was… dying.” Suppressing a sob, Ali clung to Moonshadow, willing herself to forgot what she just experienced. But knowing all too well she couldn’t.

 _*You are never alone, my friend.*_ Moonshadow’s voice was a soothing balm on her aching mind. _*No matter where you go, I will always come for you. I will never let you face the darkness alone. Never.*_

“I know. But that doesn’t always stop my fears. What if this is a vision, Moonshadow? What if we lose another Soul Rider? I already failed to rescue Anne the first time, what if I fail again?” Ali rambled on, her fears and anxiety taking over her exhausted brain. “Moonshadow, I have a really bad feeling about this mission. I think… I think that-”

 _*Stop that.*_ Moonshadow’s tone was firm. _*What happened the first time with Anne was no one’s fault but the Druids. We were unprepared for what we faced and were lucky to escape with our lives. But we are stronger now, and have the others. This time, nothing will stop us.*_

“...Yeah, you’re right.” Ali was so proud of Moonshadow, and how much he had grown since they first met that summer five years ago. No longer was he the cocky, somewhat narcissistic stallion who was a little too full of himself for his own good.

 _*Of course I am.*_ Well, for the most part he wasn’t. That last comment made Ali smile for the first time that night. Curling up next to Moonshadow, Ali let out a yawn as sleep began to creep up her once more. _*Now, get some sleep. Morning will be here soon and you need the rest. I will watch over you.*_

“Thanks, Moonshadow.” With that, Ali drifted off to sleep.

*~*

“Wakey wakey! Eggs and bakey!” Ali’s eyes shot open as someone; Alex from the sound of it; shouted very close to her ear. Sure enough, the Warrior was standing over her, a wicked smirk on her face. “Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty! It’s time to go kick some Dark Core ass!”

Looking past Alex, Ali saw the other Soul Riders were already awake and sitting around the campfire, cooking breakfast from the smell of it. Taking her eyes off them, she glared at the still-smirking teen leaning over her.

“Really Alex, did you have to wake me up like that?” Ali asked.

“Well I was going to dump a bucket of water on you,” explained Alex with a mischievous look in her eyes. “But Moony here was giving the stink eye so I figured this was the safer option.” Ali rolled her eyes and could sense Moonshadow doing the same thing, though for a different reason.

 _*Don’t call me ‘Moony’*_ Moonshadow told the younger Soul Rider with a snort before getting to his feet and joining his fellow equines for breakfast. Ali stood up also and made her way over to the campfire.

“Morning Ali” said Lisa as she handed the young woman a cup of what smelled like coffee. “You sleep well last night?”

Ali took a sip of the hot drink first (yep, definitely coffee with milk and sugar, just as she liked it) before answering.

“Not really,” she stated. “I kept tossing and turning thanks to my-” she almost said visions but caught herself just in time. “Nightmares. My anxiety and fear were playing pinball with my thoughts last night. Luckily Moonshadow gives a pretty good pep talk and I managed to get some sleep at last.”

Linda empathically. “I didn’t sleep all that good either at first. Thankfully my sleeping pills finally kicked in and it was lights out for me.”

“Honestly, I don’t think any of us slept well.” Lisa looked thoughtful as she stirred her eggs around on the plate. Hey Linda,” the Moon Circle rider looked up at her name, “did you have any, ya know, visions last night?”

Everyone, including the horses, stopped what they were doing to hear what the Seer had to say. Ali, in particular, wanted to know whether or not she was the only who experienced a premonition the night before.

“No actually, I didn’t” Linda answered. “Which is rather odd, given the importance of our quest.”

“I’ll say,” Alex plopped herself down next to Ali, stealing some hashbrowns from her as she did. “You think the sleeping pills kept the visions at bay?”

Linda shook her head. “No, they wouldn’t. Elizabeth had them specially made for me earlier in the year when I started sleeping like crap. Apparently, it’s not uncommon for members of the Moon Circle to experience insomnia.”

“Well, maybe it means we’ll succeed with limited problems today” Lisa suggested. The others sans Ali shrugged and went back to eating. Ali, however, had lost her appetite and settled for pushing her food around with the fork.

_Or maybe it’s because I had the vision instead._

_*What did I tell you about those thoughts.*_ Of course, Moonshadow would pick up on her like that.

_*You have to admit that it’s strange how Linda didn’t have a single vision just before we go a quest to save Anne, yet I did and a very detailed one at that.*_

_*Yes it is a little odd. But that doesn’t mean it will come true.*_

_*Uh, that’s kind of the point of visions, Moon. You see things before they happen.*_

_*Or you see things so you can prevent them from happening.*_

  
_*I don’t even know exactly what’s happening in my visions! Or when they’ll happen!*_

_*Perhaps sharing them with the others will shed some light.*_

_Yeah, not happening,_ Ali thought to herself.

“-yah. AALIYAH!” Ali was shaken from her telepathic conversation with Moonshadow by Alex, once again, yelling very loudly in her ear.

“Ow Alex! You have got to stop doing that!” Rubbing the ear Alex decided to victimize, Ali noticed how all the girls were looking at her concerned. “What?”

“You tell us. You were the one who spaced out and had a weird look on your face” said Alex.

“I did?”

“You did.”

“Oh, sorry about that. I was just talking to Moon. You know, about the quest and all that.” The trio shared a look between and Ali knew they weren’t fully convinced. “I better finish breakfast before the others arrive. Don’t want to go on a rescue mission on an empty stomach.” With that, Ali shoveled a mixture of cold eggs and hashbrowns into her mouth, effectively avoiding talking about her visions.

_*You’re only avoiding the inevitable.*_

_*Shut up Moon.*_

Before Moonshadow could retaliate, a shout greeted the group of girls and horses.

“Goooooood morning girls and equines! Ready for a trip to the most glorious Pandoria!” Evergray came riding around the corner of the trail on the back of a grey trotting Clydesdale, Bonny seated precariously behind him. Behind them rode Elizabeth, Rhiannon and surprisingly Avalon, each on their respective Soul Steeds. “I am so jealous of you girls! Getting to explore the beauty of a dimension such as this one! Ah to be young and free once more! What a dream that it!” The former Keeper pulled his horse to a stop suddenly, nearly sending poor Bonny falling to the ground.

“Oh do be careful! I have very limited experience with horses! Especially riding them!

“Sorry about that.” He certainly didn’t sound that sorry but that was Evergray for you. “Anyway, we’ve got everything we need for opening a portal and time is of the essence! So let chop-chop ladies!”

“Hey Rafiki, where is the gear anyway?” asked Alex, using her preferred nickname for the unorthodox druid. Ali was curious as well; based on what she saw last time, such a machine wouldn’t be easy to carry yet she saw no sign of it.

“In here!” With that, Evergray pulled a small, inconspicuous pouch from his belt. “A pocket-dimension pouch! Perfect for carrying large items and quantities with ease!” He reattached the pouch to his belt before glancing at Alex with a perplexed look on his face. “I still don’t understand your nickname for me.”

“Of course you don’t,” grumbled Avalon. Evergray whirled around to glare at his younger brother.

“Oh and I suppose you do, baby brother?”

“Actually I do-”

“Alright, that’s enough out of both of you.” Elizabeth rode between them and gave each brother a stern glare. “You’ve been at this all morning and frankly I’m fed up with it. Argue till you’re both blue in the face all you want later. Right now we have a Soul Rider to rescue.” The men accepted defeat and rode forward into the hidden dale. “Men” Elizabeth sighed.

“Hence why I prefer women” stated Rhiannon as she passed her fellow Keeper. “See you girls there.” With that she followed said men around the corner and out of view.

Instead of going with her, Elizabeth dismounted and walked over to the campfire, an unreadable look on her face.

“Did you girls sleep well?” she asked. The girls shrugged.

“For the most part” Alex answered on their behalf. “Though Ali had some pretty bad nightmares. She was out here with Moonshadow when we all woke up.” Ali tried not to react, but evidently, something showed on her face as Elizabeth focused her attention on her.

“Oh? What did you see?” Did she know? That she experienced a vision?

_*Why don’t you tell her and find out?*_

_*Moon.*_

_*Ali-*_

_*NO. I won’t put them under any more stress than they already are.*_

_*But you will for yourself?*_

Ali ignored Moon’s question to answer Elizabeth. “Just your typical what-if-we-fail type of nightmare. You know, that sort of thing.” Elizabeth looked oddly disappointed at this.

“I see. Linda, did you have any visions last night regarding today’s quest?” When Linda denied having any, the Sun Circle Druid grew even more disappointed. “How odd.”

Picking up on her mentor’s facial expressions, Alex asked a question of her own. “Did Avalon see anything, Elizabeth?”

“No, he did not. And that is why I am perplexed. We thought for sure someone would at least have an inkling of what today would hold. Yet, nothing.”

“Should we be worried?” Lisa wondered. “Could Dark Core be preventing members of the Moon Circle from having visions?” Elizabeth shook her head.

“No, that doesn’t seem to be the case here. But you be very much on your guard. There’s absolutely no telling what Dark Core is willing to do to prevent Anne or any of you from leaving Pandoria once you’ve entered.” Elizabeth looked over each of the young women; Ali wasn’t sure but she seemed to pay particular attention to her.

Stop being so paranoid!

“Yeah well, if Dark Core, and especially Mr. Edgelord-Wannabe himself, try anything I’ll just Soul Strike them into another another dimension!” proclaimed Alex, pulling off a few fighting moves.

“Don’t you mean just another dimension” Linda corrected her friend. Alex rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, whatever Ms. Google.” As the two teased one another, Elizabeth remounted her horse and turned towards the path.

“Finish cleaning up and join us quickly. We have no time to waste.”


End file.
